Fall board structure



Nov. 26, i935. G. W. ALDEEN 2,022,172 y FALL BOARD STRUCTURE Filed Deo. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nm.; z5, 1935.

G. W. ALDEEN FALL BOARD STRUCTURE Filed Deo. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 anl Patented Nov. 26, -1935 UNITED STATES FALL BOARD STRUCTURE Gedor Aldeen, Rockford, Ill., assignor to American Cabinet Hardware, Corp., Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 28, 1934, Serial No. 759,517

10 Claims.

The invention relates generally to fall board structures and more particularly to means for hinging a fall board and for operating slidable supports therefor.

In the type of desk known as the Governor Winthrop type, a fall board is provided which occupies a rearwardly slanting position when closed. On opening, the fall board is adapted t0 swing outwardly to a horizontal position flush with the fall bottom or floor of the desk to constitute a continuation thereof of suicient area to make it convenient for writing. When open, the fall board is supported by a pair of slidable members positioned at the sides of the fall board, the supporting members being drawn out from under the fall bottom of the desk when the fall board is swung open.

In this type of desk as originally constructed, the two slidable supports had to be pulled out by hand, but in present day desks, the supports are automatically moved out when the fall board is swung forwardly and are returned to their position under the fall bottom when the fall board is closed. For this purpose, in the more expensive desks, a hinge is provided for the fall board which is mortised into the fall board and the fall bottom. Such a hinge has a link which extends down through the fall bottom and is there connected to a means for automatically moving the slidable support. The hinge and its link are positioned adjacent the side edge of the fall boardyand because of the mortises, lie ush with the upper surface of the fall board and fall bottom when the fall board is open. There is thus nothing to protrude above the even surface of the fall board and fall bottom.

In less expensive desks, such a hinge is toov costly. For this type of desk, it is customary to y useva simple bar attached to the side edge of the fall board and extending rearwardly and downwardly through a slot in the fall bottom to operate the slidable support. The hinges for this type of desk are the usual flat leaf type secured to the bottom or rear edge of the fall board and the front edge of the fall bottom at points spaced somewhat from the side edges of the fall board. The objectionable feature of this type of construction isthat the knuckles or joints of the hinges arev of substantial length and protrude above the writing surface sufliciently to interfere with papers lying von top of the fall board'and fall bottom and to prevent articles from being easily slid back from the fall board onto the fall bottom when the desk is to be closed. Y f

rially the at surface provided bythe fall board 5 and fall bottom, and which are of relatively inexpensive construction.

It is also an object to provide hinging means and means to operate the slidable supports, which interfold in such a manner rthat only small por- 10 tions thereof protrude above the upper surface of the fallboard and fall bottom, with such protruding portions located at the extreme side edges of the fall board where they in no way interfere with the use of the desk. l5

A further object is to provide interfolding hinging means and support-operating means which not only are inexpensive to construct but also are inexpensive to install, are of ample strength for the purpose, and havea neat, n- 20 ished appearance when the fall board is open.

Anotherobject is to provide hinging means and support-operating means which are especially adapted for use with the rabbeted type of fall board. 25

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken 30 l on the line l-I of Fig. 2, of a desk provided with fall board structure embodying the features of the invention, with the fall board shown in its open position by full lines and in its closed position by dotted lines. 35

Fig. '7 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 1 but 45 showing a modified form of structure.

Fig, 8 is a horizontal section, similar to Fig. 2, but of the structure shown in Fig. '7.

Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged perspective views of parts of the modified form of structure shown in 50 Figs. '7 and 8.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary Vvertical section taken on the line I I-I I of Fig. 8. Y

`While the invention is illustrated as being em,-

bodied in a desk, it is to be understood that the V invention is not to be limited specically to a desk but may be embodied in any article oi furniture having a fall board and slidable supports therefor. It is also to be understood that, although only the structure at one side of the desk is shown, similar structure is also employed at the other side of the desk.

In the present instance, the desk shown in the drawings comprises a pair of vertical side members 2E! between which extends a full bottom or iioor 2l and a front apron 22. The front edges of the side members 25 may extend upwardly and rearwardly from the front edge of the fall bottom 2|, as shown at 23. To close the upper part of the desk when not in use and to provide a writing surface of adequate area, a fall board 24 is provided which is here shown as of the rabbeted type having a flange-like portion 25 on the two side edges and the front or top edge thereof to overlie the front edges 23 of the side members and the edge of the top of the desk when the fall board is closed. The flange-like portion 25 thus limits the closing movement of the fall board.

When the fall board is open, it is flush with the fall bottom 2l, and is supported in such position by a pair of slidable supports 25, only one of which is shown in the drawings. The supports 25 are positioned in the desk proper immediately under the fall bottom and at the extreme side edges of the fall board, and when the fall board is open, the supports 25 are drawn outwardly to extend beyond the front apron 22 and thus provide a rigid support for the fall bottom. When the fall board is closed, the supports 26 are moved back into the desk so that their front edges `are flush with the front apron 22.

To provide for the movement of the fall board, a pair of hinges are provided, the pivotal axis of which is in the plane of the top surface of fall board and Vfall bottom at the rear or bottom edge of the fall board and the front edge of the fall bottom. Thus, when the fall board is open, it lies flush with the fall bottom. Each hinge comprises a pair of members attached respectively to the fall board and fall bottom. In order that they shall not project above the fall board and fall bottom in a way to interfere with the use thereof for writing purposes, they are positioned at the extreme side edges of the fall board. They thus leave the upper surface of the fall board and fall bottom uninterrupted by any projection which would interfere with papers lying thereon.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6, each hinge comprises a pair of members made of sheet metal. The member attached to the fall board, indicated at 30, is of such size that it may be positioned in the rabbeted portion and lies ilat against the side edge of the fall board, screws 3i being employed to secure it in position. The hinge member attached to the desk proper, comprises a vertical portion 32 positioned in a rearwardly extending groove 33 cut in the fall bottom. The upper portion of this hinge member is bent, as at 34, at a right angle to the portion 32 and rests on the top surface of the'fall bottom to which it is attached as by screws 35. The hinge members are each provided with pivotally connected portions 35 in face-to-face relation with the edges of the metal upward so that they occupy as little space as possible.

The invention also includes operators, indicated generally at 4G, for the slidable supports 26, which are positioned adjacent the side edges of the fall board and so shaped as to interfold with the hinges and provide ,a neat appearance when the iall board is open. To this end, each operator is arranged to conceal the hinge. The operator, because of its function, is attached at one end to the fall board to derive motion therefrom and at its other end to the adjacent slidable support 26.

As shown herein, the operator comprises a strip oi sheet metal bent longitudinally to provide a right angle cross section and having its front end attached to the side edge of the fall board as by a screw 4|. The vertical leg, indicated at 42, of the right angle is of such dimension as to t in the rabbet on the side edge of the fall board outside of the hinge member 33 and to extend rearwardly in the groove 33 of the fall bottom. The other leg, shown at 53, overlies the top surface of the fall board and fall bottom. To interfold with the hinge, the top leg :i3 is provided with a rounded pocket da which fits over the pivotally connected portions 35 of the hinge. The top leg 43 may aiso have an extension @5 to overlie the portion 3ft of the hinge. The operator thus neatly interfolds with and conceals all parts of the hinge, when the fall board is open, to provide a neat appearance, and neither the hinge nor the operator materially interrupts the flat top surface provided by the fall board and fall bottom, since the hinge and operator are positioned at the extreme side edge thereof.

The operator at its rear end has a hook-like portion 55 which provides a detachable pivotal connection to the rear end of the slidable support 26. To permit the portion 53 to connect with the slidable support, the groove 33 opens into a slot 5l in the fall bottom, and a connecting member 52 having an aperture 53 (see Fig. 5) for engagement with the hook portion 59 is secured to the slidable support.

Since the rounded pocket 44 of the operator ts over the pivoted portions of the hinge when the fall board is open, and since it is desirable to have the front edge of the slidable support flush with the front apron 22 when the fall board is closed, the connecting member 52 must be accurately positioned on the support. To facilitate this, the connecting member 52 is provided with a screw-receiving slot 54 of substantial length, and is temporarily and approximately positioned on the support by a screw 55 extending through the slot 54. Then, by movement of the fall board to its two extreme positions, the correct position for the connecting member 52 may be determined. The screw 55 is then tightened and a second screw 56 is driven through an aperture 51 in the connecting member to rigidly hold it in place. Thus,it becomes a simple matter to properly position the connecting member so that the front edge of the support will be flush with the front apron 22 when the fall board is closed.

In the modified form of the device shown in Figs. 7 to 11, the hinge member attached to the desk proper, indicated at B, is shaped for attachment to the inner face of the vertical side member 2i) of the desk, while the hinge member attached to the Vfall board is of the same shape as in the hinge shown in Fig. 3. Thus, in order to interfold with and to provide space for the` operator, the hinge member 55 has a U-shaped portion 5i positioned in the groove 33 of the fall bottom. One arm, shown at 52, of the ueshaped portion is pivotally attached to the other hinge member, The other arm of the U, shown at fio.,

t3,V im nat against the inner face of the verm-z cal side member 20, to which it is attached asv by screws 64,'a'nd extends above the-level of the fall bottom so that the screws 64 are accessible.

The operator 65 in this instance is similar to that shown in the first form, differing therefrom4 only by not having the extension 45. The front end of the operator 85 is attached to the side edge of the fall board in the rabbet and the rear end is pivotally connected to the slidable support Z6 by the hook 5B and the adjustable connector 52. The vertical leg of the right angle cross section of the operator, when the fall board is open, extends down into the U-shaped portion El las will fbe noted in Fig. l1. It thus interfolds with the hinge member to provide a neat, finished appearance, and being at the extreme side edge of the fall board, does not interfere with the'free Muse of the upper surface of the fall board.

"Rnm the front apron 22.

In operation of the form of the device shown in Figs. l to 6, when the fall board is open, the vertical leg of operator d0 extends along the side edge of the fall board and in the groove 33 in thev fall bottom. The horizontal leg of the op- VV'frerator overlies the top surface of the fall board and fall bottom and neatly fits over the pivotally connected portions 36 of the hinge member and the attaching portion 34. It thus completely ,conceals the hinge, and lies closely adjacent the V'side edge of the fall board so that the top surface thereof is left substantially free of any interruption.

On installing the device, after the hinge has been attached, the operator lill is secured at its k"front end to the side edge of the fall board at the proper point so that the rounded pocket d4 ts over the pivotally connected portions of the hinge. The connecting member is then placed on the slidable support in its approximate position and the screw 55 passing through the slot 54 is only partially tightened. The fall board is then closed and the slidable support is adjusted relative to the connecting member 52 so that the front edge of the slidable support is flush The connecting member 52 is thus accurately Ypositioned and the screws 55 and 56 are driven home.

In the modified form of the device shown in Figs 7 to 11, when the fall board is open, the operator completely conceals the hinge member attached to the fall board, and the vertical legA of'the operator folds into the U-shaped portion til of the hinge member attached to the vertical member 2l! of the desk.

It will be noted that the various parts of both forms of the device Vare of inexpensive construction, since they are made of sheet metal which may be readily shaped. Moreover, the cost of installation is low, since no mortises or the like, except the groove 33 and the slot 5l, need be provided, and the parts attached by screws are readily accessible. The structure especially lends itself to the rabbeted type of fall board, and when the fall board is open, provides a neat appearance. The only portions of the device protruding above the top surface of the fall board are located at theextreme side edges of the fall board where they in rio-way interfere with the use of the desk.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a desk provided with a f all board and a slidable support therefor, the combination of a hinge comprising a pair of members having pivotally connected portions, one attached to the side edge of the fall board and the other to the desk proper, andan operator for'the adjacentv slidable support having its forward end attached tothe side edge of the fall board and its rear end Aconnected tothe slidable support, said operator having an angular cross` section with one leg thereof extending alongside the side edge of the fall board andv outside of the hinge member attached thereto, and the other leg overlying said hinge member and the pivotally connected portions ofthe hinge members.

2. In a desk provided with a fall board and a slidable support therefor, the combination of a hinge for the fall board positioned at the extreme side edge of the fall board and comprising a pair of members having pivotally connected portions, one of said members lying fiat against and being secured to the side edge of the fall board andthe other member being secured to the desk proper, and an operator for the slidable support secured at its front end to the side edge of the fall board forwardly of the hinge member and the rear end to said slidable support, said operator comprising a strip of metal bent to provide a right angle cross-section with one leg extending alongside the side edge of the fall board and the other leg over the top surface thereof to conceal the hinge member attached to the fall board and the pivotally connected portions tol provide a neat appearance when the fall board is open.

3. In a desk having'a fall board and a slidable support therefor, the combination of a hinge for the fall board positioned at the extreme side edge of the f all board and comprising a pair of members having pivotally connected portions,one of said members being secured to the side edge of the fall board and the other member being positioned in a rearwardly extending slot in the fall bottom, and an operator for the slidable support secured at its respective ends to the fall board and toy the slidable support, said operator having a right angle cross-section with one leg of the right angle extending along the side edge of the fall board, outside of the hinge member attached thereto and rearwardly in the yslot in fall bottom, the other leg overlying the top surface of the fall board adjacent the side edge thereof and overlying the fall bottom adjacenty said slot to substantially conceal said hinge and provide a iinished appearance when the fall board is open.

4. In a desk having a fall board of the rabbeted type and a slidable support for the fall board, the combination of a hinge comprisingV a pair of sheet metal members having pivotally connected portions, one member being secured to the side edge of the fall board in the rabbeted' portion thereof and the other member being positioned in a rearwardly extending slot in the fall bottom and having a portion extending above the slot for ready attachment to the desk proper, the pivotally connected portions being face-toface with the edges of the metal upward to occupy as little space as possible, and an operator for the slidable support pivotally secured at its respective ends tothe fall board and the slidable support, the operator being made of sheet metal bent longitudinally to provide a right angle crossesection with one leg lying edgewise in the rabbeted portion of the fall board and the slot in the fall bottom and the other leg lying atwise on the upper surface of the fall board and fall bottom and having a rounded pocket to fit over the pivotally connected portions of the hinge, when the fall board is open.

5. In a desk having a fall board and a slidable Vsupport therefor, the combination of a hinge comprising a pair of members secured to the desk proper and the fall board at the extreme side edge thereof and having pivotally connected portions, and an operator for the slidable support positioned at the extreme side edge of the fall board and secured at its respective ends to the fall board and the slidable support, said hinge members and said operator interfolding When vthe fall board is open with the pivotally connected portions covered by said operator to present a finished neat appearance.

6. In a desk having a fall board and a slidable support therefor, the combination of a hinge Acomprising a pair of sheet metal members having portions pivotally connected in face-to-face relation, one of said members being secured flat- Wise to the side edge of the fall board, the other member having a right angle portion with one leg positioned in a rearwardly extending slot in the fall bottom and the other leg lying atvvise on the upper surface of the fall bottom and secured thereto, and an operator for the slidable support comprising a strip of sheet metal bent to provide a right angle cross-section with one leg positioned along the side edge of the fall board and extending rearwardly in the slot in the fall board and the other leg overlying the top surface of the fall board, the fall bottom -and the hing mmber secured thereto, to conceal the hinge and present a finished appearance Whe-n the fall board is open.

7. In a desk having a fall board and a slidable support therefor, the combination of a hinge comprising pivotally connected members having portions respectively secured to the fall board and fall bottom at the extreme side edge thereof, and an operator having its ends respectively connected to the fall board and the slidable support and shaped to entirely overlie the hinge members to conceal them when the fall board is open.

8. In a desk having a fall board and a slidable support therefor, the combination of a hinge comprising a pair of members having pivotally connected portions, one member being secured to the side edge of the fall board and the other member having a U shape, one arm of which constitutes the pivotally connected portion and the other arm lies flat against and is secured to the inner face of side Wall of the desk, the fall bot-y tom having a rearwardly extending slot in Which the U-shaped member is positioned, and an op- 5 erator for the slidable support comprising a strip of sheet metal connected at its respective ends to the fall board and the slidable support, the operator having a right angle cross section with one leg overlying the top surf-ace of the 10 fall board and fall bottom and the other leg extending along the side edge of the fall board and rearwardly in the slot in the fall bottom and positioned in and interfolding with the U- shape member When the fall board is open. 15

9. In a desk having a fall board and a slidable support therefor, the combination of a hinge comprising a pair of pivotally connected members, one member being secured to the fall board and the other member having a U shape with 20 one arm thereof secured to Vthe inner face of i the side Wall of the desk and the other arm pivotally connected to the other member, and an operator for the slidable SuppOrt secured at its respective ends to the fall board and the slid- 25 able support and having a portion overlying said i other arm and the pivotally connected portions of both members and having another portion positioned between the arms of the U to permit said operator and the hinge to interfold when the fall board is open.

l0. In a desk having a fall board and a slidable support therefor, the combination of a hinge comprising a pair of members respectively secured to the fall board and to the desk proper 35 and having pivotally secured portions, an operator for the slidable support secured at its front end to the fall board, said operator substantially concealing said hinge members and having a rounded pocket overlying the pivotally 40 connected portions, and means for pivotally connecting the operator to the slidable support comprising a member Vhaving an elongated screwreceiving slot to provide for temporary connection of said member With the slidable support and adjustment thereof to permit the parts to be properly positioned.

GEDOR W. ALDEEN. 

